Forgery: the SPS Action Report forNew Tech Network $800,000 contract

Dear Sgt. Charles of the Seattle Police,

The following information will support my charge of forgery in decision making in the Seattle Public Schools. The Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson and the Chief Academic Officer produced an Action Report on March 12, 2010. This Action Report was introduced at the Seattle School Board meeting on March 17, 2010. It was based on a document masquerading as the original.

On Feb. 3, 2010, without intelligently applying any relevant data or common sense the Superintendent's proposal was approved by the Board for an $800,000 contract that did not match the action report. Upon the filing of an appeal on March 5, 2010, the Superintendent and the Board did a "nevermind" .... and introduced the NTN contract with a new Action Report, this one was based on a forged document. This NTN contract was approved by the Board on April 7, 2010.

Subsequently another appeal was filed and eventually the forgery discovered.

Here is the "Original Action Report" that was abandoned after appeal filed in Superior Court.

Here is the contract that the Board approved on Feb. 3, 2010 that did not match the above linked Action Report.


Action Report of March 12, 2010 introduced on March 17, 2010 the Board approved the contract on April 7, 2010.

Letter in which I received the Original Anderson Memo on which the Action Report was supposedly based.

The document that the SPS submitted to the Court that masqueraded as the original Anderson Memo.

---
Legal Affairs Officer Joy Stevens wrote:

The email from Susan Enfield to the School Board Directors with two attachments (January 29, 2010 memo from Eric M. Anderson to Dr. Goodloe-Johnson regarding Standards-based achievement results for New Technology Network (NTN) schools, and February 1,2010 memo from Dr. Susan Enfield and Michael Tolley to the School Board Directors regarding Comparisons between NTN, Project Lead the Way and other STEM Models) sent on February 2, 2010 at 7:31 AM

· The two attachments to the February 2, 2010 email as listed above (attached separately in case you had difficulty opening them)

· The January 29, 2010 memo from Eric M. Anderson to Dr. Goodloe-Johnson regarding
Standards-based achievement results for New Technology Network (NTN) schools that I sent to Dan Dempsey on March 16, 2010 in response to his request

You will note that the final version of the January 29, 2010 memo from Eric M. Anderson that I sent Dan Dempsey on March 16, 2010 is the exact same version that was sent to the School Board Directors on February 2, 2010. Any other versions of that memo would be draft versions created prior to finalization.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like anything else.
Best regards,

Joy Stevens
Joy A. Stevens
Sr. Legal Assistant/Public Records Officer
General Counsel's Office
Seattle Public Schools
206-252-0117

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Note this version submitted to the court is missing the original's last paragraph:

The “Forgery” occurred in that the memo version used to write the Action Report and submitted as evidence to the court was NOT the memo sent to the Board. The memo MGJ used appears to be an earlier draft version. The memo used by MGJ was a less than complete version that omitted several important components of the Original Memo sent to the School Board on 2-2-10.

Among these significant differences was the omission of the entire last paragraph from the original Eric Anderson memo:

"Since the data is mixed, the primary question is whether Seattle Public Schools believes strongly in the Research based NTN learning model. Success will more than likely depend on the quality of program implementation. Knowing ahead of time that the NTN model does not guarantee strong results only enhances the degree to which the burden falls on the district and the schools to achieve success. (Bold and underline added)

How could a board member defend a vote for a non-competitive bid contract of $800,000 with that piece of evidence in the Action Report?

More importantly:

“How could the District successfully defend an appeal in Superior Court if the appellants used that piece of evidence?”

It appears that Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson and Chief Academic Officer Enfield had a solution.

Solution: Do not use that memo, but claim it was used, and then exclude it from the evidence provided to the court.

Here is CAO Enfield's May 20, 2010 documentation to the court in submitting the evidence. See page 3 and notice this submission contains "no certification" that this information is correct. The information provided to the court is not correct as it does not contain the memo Dr. Eric Anderson sent to the School Board.

-----

We eventually dropped the NTN legal appeal when we found out that the State Attorney General and the State Auditor will not act on actions that are in current litigation.

It has been a most bizarre series of events trying to get any accountability from anyone in investigating this Class C Felony Forgery issue.

RCW 28A 645.020 has requirements that the SPS Board continually fails to follow when appeals of their decisions are filed.

RCW 28A 645.020 states:
"Within twenty days of service of the notice of appeal, the school board, at its expense, or the school official, at such official's expense, shall file the complete transcript of the evidence and the papers and exhibits relating to the decision for which a complaint has been filed. Such filings shall be certified to be correct.

===============
Seven days after the Superintendent submitted the Action Report of March 12, 2010, she had little knowledge of much in regard to evidence on which the Action Report was based. LOOK HERE.

Here is a report from Dr. Eric Anderson on "The Correlates of High Achieving Schools", which the Superintendent and Board routinely ignore.

==============

Additionally Director Sunquist facilitated the approval of this $800,000 contract by stating that the school he visited in California, New Tech Sacramento, had an apparently high graduation rate. I had provided him statistics showing that the first two cohorts of graduates from NT Sacramento had graduation rates of 37% and 44% and yet he voted for the NTN Contract.

Additionally Director Martin-Morris stated that he was for the NTN contract in voting for the NTN contract on 2-3-2010 because of information he had about success at New Tech Hillsdale in Durham, NC. I provided then him with information that NT Hillsdale was in the lowest 19% of NC Schools. He ignored the relevant data, did not respond, and approved the NTN contract again on April 7, 2010, without comment.

==========

The above information is correct to the best of my knowledge. Should you need additional information, I can likely supply it. Please ask the King County Prosecutor to investigate this forgery.

Sincerely,

Danaher M. Dempsey, Jr.

Pottergate Poster

Here is a snappy poster (3.5 meg .pdf)

Featuring Fred Stephens, Silas Potter, and MGJ.

Common Core State Standards SPI Randy Dorn Violates State Law and House Educ. Chair Santos gives her OK

Washington's possible adoption of the $183+ million dollar CCSS is not receiving a thoughtful discussion. .. Why??

RCW 28A.655.071 states clearly:

(2) By January 1, 2011, the superintendent of public instruction shall submit to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate:

(a) A detailed comparison of the provisionally adopted standards and the state essential academic learning requirements as of June 10, 2010, including the comparative level of rigor and specificity of the standards and the implications of any identified differences; and

(b) An estimated timeline and costs to the state and to school districts to implement the provisionally adopted standards, including providing necessary training, realignment of curriculum, adjustment of state assessments, and other actions.

======
Superintendent of Public Instruction clearly violated the law by making the above submission....
.... on January 31, 2011 = .. 30 days late.
(See this from OSPI Public Records officer Wilson.)

There was a hearing on Feb 4, 2011. In response to that hearing of Feb 4, 2011, Representative Brad Klippert wrote HB 1891 to delay the CCSS adoption by at least two years. Rep. Klippert submitted that bill on Feb. 8, 2011. House Chair Santos never allowed that bill a hearing as she stated through her legislative assistant that HB 1891 was submitted too late for her to schedule a hearing.

The REALLY BIG QUESTION for House Education Chair Sharon Tamiko Santos is why Randy Dorn gets a complete pass for his flagrant 30 day violation of RCW 28A.655.071

============
It is my opinion that:

(1) the $183 million over 5 years should be headed to Washington Classrooms and not used as a stimulus act for more levels of administration.

(2) Arne Duncan's "Race to the Top" is little more than a "Race to the Bank" for privileged groups and corporations.

(3) The 37th District in Seattle has the lowest scoring schools in Seattle. Of 47 "failing schools" in the state, three are located in Seattle and two: "failing" Hawthorne and "failing" Cleveland are in the 37th. The Reps. from the 37th are Santos and Pettigrew. It is long past time for these two to begin assisting in creating a better learning environment for students in the 37th. Rep. Santos was an active supporter of Mr. Dorn in his 2008 election. Rep. Santos needs to now be supporting students in the 37th and the processes of a republic NOT Mr. Dorn's violation of the LAW.

----------------
Here is the Seattle Times Op-Ed from Dr. Cliff Mass on the Common Core Math Standards.

Is America's best high school soft on math? Washington PostJay Matthews

Is America's best high school soft on math?

=======
Relates what happens when the primary goal of academic excellence is sacrificed to the goal of social transformation.

Seattle Times displays complete ignorance once again

Check it out and do not miss the comments.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2014247489_edit17teachers.html
------------

OSPI has spent the last 14 years trying to make work, what they would like to have work and it has been almost a complete failure. Using what had been proven to work elsewhere was not going to happen with Ed leadership in WA State running the SHOW.

Now look at the Times. This article reports on what the Times Editorial Board would have liked to have happened at the hearing, as if it actually happened. Reporting what actually happened at the hearing is NOT going to happen, because its the Times.

New TIMSS Video Public Use Website

Announcing Launch of New TIMSS Video Public Use Website

We are pleased to announce that the 53 public use lessons collected as part of the TIMSS video studies are now available for everyone on a new website, http://www.timssvideo.com/.

Users must register on the site to access the videos, but registration is free. In addition to the 53 full-length videos of eighth-grade mathematics and science lessons from seven countries, the site also provides full English-translation subtitles for each lesson, a searchable transcript, and a set of resources collected with each lesson such as scanned text materials and teacher commentaries. The site also includes a discussion forum where users can share ideas for how they are using the site, and suggest new features that might be added in the future.

The site is a project of UCLA and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Funding was provided by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Please explore the site, and feedback is always welcome!

~Jim Stigler, UCLA

The Facts and CCSS ... The public is getting shafted

The failure to delay the legislature's 2010 6696 approval of the CCSSI, done one year ago, will obligate the taxpayers to spend $183 million. Of this amount more than $160 million will come directly from local school districts.

If HB 1891 were passed to delay CCSS adoption for at least two years, then we could revise WA standards if needed.

Instead we will be forced to buy unproven brand X, yet again.

States are free right now to benchmark their standards to the CCSS. But that’s an option we retain only by rejecting or delaying adoption of CCSS. With the passage of 6696, legislators put themselves into the position that they must now take a position (vote) to either delay or reject CCSS, or we lose the option to benchmark our state standards by default.

Note there is no assessment scheduled of the CCSS until Spring 2015.

We are buying an expensive half-baked product prematurely. Buying more nonsense is a fact, unless the legislature acts and fast. By Friday, if a bill to delay did not get a committee hearing, it will be too late.

Call 1-800-562-6000 NOW.

Reps. Pettigrew and Santos are failing to act in the best interests of students in the 37th. Why?

=============================

{more wisdom from Mike}

Note: There is scant evidence to support the CCSSI as likely to improve anything, except perhaps some corporation's bottom lines.

On the contrary, there is overwhelming evidence that the CCSSI is about the centralization of control coupled with the homogenization of education markets to benefit certain well-connected & organized companies from both the technology and publishing sectors.

Neither of these scenarios would be likely to occur absent the coercive reins of federal initiatives & dollars.
========

State officials were bribed to pass 6696 by the hope for "Race to the Top" dollars of which WA received none.

What is the excuse for folly this time? Perhaps head of House Education Committee Representative Sharon Tamiko Santos could explain.

Seattle School Board Testimony 2-16-2011 ... NSAP = increasingly separate and unequal schools ... Forgery Complaint Needed

Link to full testimony as .pdf ==>http://www.box.net/shared/oh1vp70qpe

Tonight we have a one meeting introduction/action item about the New Student Assignment Plan, which deals with an immediate need. Unfortunately it ignores the true NSAP emergency, the failure to have any mechanism to make every school a quality school.

Over four years ago, I began testifying here with the intent of improving school quality. I’ve submitted evidence, which has either been ignored or rejected in Board decision-making. The result is now greater math achievement gaps for all classifications of educationally disadvantaged learners. This is particularly true for Southeast Seattle’s Schools in the 37th District.

Yesterday OSPI Math Director, Greta Bornemann, wrote an email that states:
-----------------------
For far too long Special Ed and ELL students were ignored in the math world. There wasn’t good evidence for how to support teachers,

[ and quite frankly for many districts with limited funds, reading has been the focus. But much of that is changing. I believe, with all its faults, part of the reason people are paying attention is because of No Child Left Behind. We’ve always had a problem supporting teachers working with Special Ed and ELL kids,]

but we are beginning to shine a light on this issue.

Thankfully, we do have some new research to guide our work.

The National Math Advisory Panel (NMAP) is one such landmark document. I have a copy of the document close to my desk and use it constantly to guide my thinking.
------------------------

How shocking that the OSPI Math Director, who spoke to you for 11 minutes before your highly discriminatory High School math adoption approval now calls the NMAP new research. It was released in March of 2008, 14 months before your “arbitrary and capricious action”, which lowered Black student pass rates to 12.5%, increased that achievement gap to 55% and lowered ELL pass rates by 4.5% in a year when the state’s ELL rate went up.

The Superintendent’s response was to appeal the court ruling rather than to reconsider that decision and select suitable math materials. The Superintendent’s appeal was supported by four board members, who refuse to fulfill their obligation under the law to provide certified correct transcripts of evidence to the court, when board decisions are appealed.

In fact, the entire Board ignored the submission of forged documents submitted to the court by the Chief Academic Officer in an $800,000 contract approval for more discriminatory practices.

Board members: The Seattle Police Department will be happy to accept your complaint in regard to Class C felony forgery involving Seattle School District administrators. In fact your oath of office as Directors requires you to file that complaint against the administrators. Please support the constitution and laws of our state.

Get with it... start acting to close achievement Gaps not widen them.

Also please request a delay in the state approval of Common Core Standards if you wish to do anything positive about closing the achievements gaps your Superintendent so often acts to create.

Urge the passage of House Bill 1891. Complete information is available on my Blog The Math Underground. Please call 1-800-562-6000 urging passage of HB 1891 to delay passage of the Common Core Standards. It will stop the spending of $183 million on more levels of bureaucratic nonsense.

Thank you, Danaher M. Dempsey, Jr. http://mathunderground.blogspot.com/

Great News: SPD will accept forgery complaint involving Seattle School Administrators

From the Office of the King County Prosecutor.

Mr. Dempsey,

I have had a chance to look into this issue. I spoke with an attorney in our Fraud Unit and she spoke with SPD. Sgt. Darrell Charles of SPD did not know why a report was not taken in response to your complaint. At this point he suggests that you contact SPD again and ask to file a report. If you are again told that a report will not be taken, please ask for Sgt. Charles.

I hope this information is helpful.

Janine Joly
Sr. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
----

From: Dan Dempsey [mailto:dempsey_dan@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 9:18 PM
To: Joly, Janine

Dear Ms. Joly,

Our level of frustration with the laws and legal system of the city, state, and county has reached an extremely high level.

I will not go into great detail but get right to the heart of one matter.

The class C felony of forgery was committed by one or two Seattle Public Schools administrators involving an $800,000 contract.

I verbally reported this to the K.C. Prosecutor's office and was told no action would be taken without a police report.

I went to the Seattle Police and they told me they will not allow a complaint to be filed as this should be handled by the Attorney General.

I went to the AG and they will not act without a referral from a County Prosecutor, the Governor, or the State Auditor.

I went to the Governor's office and after three visits was informed it is the King County prosecutor's job to investigate this alleged felony.

In a review of the laws of the state I appears to me that the King County prosecutor is to investigate felonies.

So how do we get the King County Prosecutor to act?

Sincerely,

Danaher M. Dempsey, Jr. for the Seattle Shadow School Board

Note: we dropped an appeal of a school board decision that involved this forgery so the matter would no longer be in litigation and could be investigated and prosecuted.

These laws should not exempt public school officials from the law.

Do they?

Thoughts from Mike on Common Core Standards

Common Core State Standards will continue the "dumbing down" of Washington's Students. -- Dan Dempsey

The Rest is from Mike:

Paving the way for the redistribution of education resources (money & talent).

The “equity” versus “equality” debate is over (as if it ever really happened). We are on the path of government imposed “equitable” redistribution, and not nearly enough recognize it, much less question or resist. It is a lie… it will not work… it never has. The problem with any “equitable” redistribution model is that they’re based on the false assumption that the decision making collective (bureaucracies) are honest, benevolent, virtuous, and endowed with uncommon wisdom. Somebody must decide what is “fair”, and it won’t be you or I. It will be impersonal bureaucratic collectives. Nobel laureate Milton Freidman explained it much clearer than I can, 30 years ago to Phil Donahue. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjH4QBSwWlg&feature=related

Continuous ongoing violations of the law in the SPS need to STOP ... but do not look to the Directors to act.

It is the responsibility of the Seattle Police Department to investigate the Class C felony of Forgery that occurred in the construction of the New Tech Contract action report that resulted in an $800,000 contract award for a sub-standard product.

For the hearing on November 18, 2010 Directors Sundquist, Maier (a lawyer), Carr, and Martin-Morris submitted declarations for the Court in a recall sufficiency hearing in which each declared: that even though the law requires the board to submit a certified correct transcript in an appeal and this was not done. It was someone else's responsibility to do so ... staff's fault if there is any fault but not the fault of any director.

This is legally incorrect it is the Board's responsibility. STRIKE #1.

The oath of office clearly calls upon the Directors to support the US Constitution, the Washington Constitution, and the Laws of the State. They are not doing well there.

Hummm ... so how is it Directors have failed to report the failures to follow RCW 28A 645.020 and in particular the submission of forged evidence in the NTN contract approval decision. The forgery was used in the construction of the Action Report submitted to the Board by the Superintendent and CAO. The forged evidence was submitted to the court by the CAO, as if it was a correct original. Why have directors failed to report the Class C felony of Forgery committed by one or two administrators in the SPS to the Seattle Police Department? STRIKE #2

Do the Directors ever hold anyone accountable for anything?

Here comes a possible Strike #3.... Will any Director act to ask the Seattle Police to investigate this felony of forgery?

===================

Another answer to why the huge achievement gaps ... complete abdication of the responsibility to make evidence based decisions ... these folks make decisions using forged evidence and apparently could care less.

===============

New Student Assignment Plan ... every school a quality school ... what a joke.

Increased separation and increasingly unequal schools ... quite a plan.

The Beatles, Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers, and the mess we are in. Looking to John Lennon to save us.

Famous sociologist and thinker Malclom Gladwell tells us that to become an expert requires more than talent it requires practice and lots of it. 10,000 hours = 3 hrs. a day for 10 years. The exceptionally talented Beatles put in way more than 10,000 hours before their assent to stardom.

"The greatest athletes, entrepreneurs, musicians and scientists emerge only after spending at least three hours a day for a decade mastering their chosen field.

Ability, according to Gladwell, is just one factor in success. Work ethic, luck, a strong support base and even being born in the right year play a far larger role."

I bring this up because today I listened to a bill proposing to allow principals to have "NO" teaching experience. That makes them 10,000 short on grasping instructional expertise at the expert level.

As ridiculous as this bill sounds it has its genesis in the Race to the Top Turn-Around models. When "low performing schools" must fire their principals, where will the new replacements come from? ....

The answer is the military and corporate board rooms and those exiting the world of business. Yes the search is for executive decision-makers. Again it must be that "process trumps content" mindset.

Beats me how knowing "essentially zero about a field" allows one to be a competent decision-maker. I guess watching the legislators make decisions without evidence much of the time, perhaps they might extend their process to principals and figure that principals could likely make decisions without much evidence or background knowledge also.

Check the results!!! Educational decision-making is pathetic at almost every level in the USA. The results in Washington State are abysmal in many areas.

The biggest scam is painting this as all the teachers fault. WOW check the administrative decision-making!!! Next up is more pointless wasteful spending on a higher level of bureaucrats to order us around (to produce improvement -- I am totally serious ... that is the "for" argument.) .... Well I can see why Rep. Santos does not want HB 1891 out of committee and getting a hearing as then folks would need to actually try to make sense out of the next horrible idea, the CCSS, in order to get it approved. No hearing and this $183 million expenditure just slides on by.

Far too often "educational decision-makers" do not have the slightest understanding or ability or maybe interest in making an evidence based decision in regard to education.

To improve a system requires the intelligent application of relevant data. Thus we have no improvement. We listen to supposed educators who in many cases possess but one real skill.... how to rise high in a system based largely on politics not achievement.

Bush's Rod Paige and Obama's Arne Duncan spring immediately to mind.

Oh yes lets all Race to the Top, or Race to the Bank or whatever .... but why?

It seems when it comes to education one really bad idea deserves another.

I just watched Rep. Eric Pettigrew explain how HB 1609 will close the achievement gap by allowing districts to use tools that are not developed and are completely unreliable to be used to make RIF decisions. .. Huh???

The real voice of sanity was the School Board President that testified: We should be avoiding litigation not making decisions that will surely windup in court.

Typical high stakes testing scenario ... but this time someone would get to lose their job because of an insane system that would use defective tools to make decisions. It was really interesting watching people testify for this bizarre proposal.


Well the 37th in Seattle has a big number of "the supposed failing schools" and 2 of the 47 failing schools in the state. Its Reps are Pettigrew and Santos, good well intentioned hard working nice folks, who apparently have no idea how to close the achievement gaps.

Rep. Santos is apparently blocking HB 1891 from getting a hearing. Thus instead of spending resources on students.... We will be spending $183 million on the next too early half-baked idea.

Why wait for two years to see what is happening? We can jump right in and make a giant costly mistake right now. And the Achievement Gap gets bigger and bigger and Washington is #49 out of 51 states + WA DC in class size ranking. Thank God for Utah and California..... and Santos is all for spending $183 million on more administration instead of students .... and all done without a hearing on HB 1891 because she is blocking the hearing.

Typical OSPI ... more than a day late and Multi-Millions short

BIG ADVICE -- if you wish to decipher the mumbo-jumbo that flows forth in regard to education and the achievement gap etc. from OSPI, SBE, and various school board ramblings, then spend less than 40 bucks here. You will then understand how to make an evidence based decision. You will understand that the focus on differences of opinion is nonsense; the focus must be on facts. The system will not be improved without the intelligent application of relevant data. It appears there will be little if any improvement in the foreseeable future.

A couple years and $1.2 million later in the life of OSPI Math Director Greta Bornemann is the topic of this example of OSPI incompetence. Note the SBE had found "Discovering" to be mathematically unsound. Apparently Ms. Bornemann did not get it at that time. The SPS Black student pass rate was 12.5% on the grade 10 math HSPE in 2010. Limited English Speaking students state wide from 2009 to 2010 went up +1.20% in Math yet in Seattle $1.2 million later they went down -4.20%.

There was enough evidence available for Porter, McLaren, and Mass and friends to spend $15,000 so far appealing the Seattle High School ultra Discriminatory Math Adoption of May 2009 on behalf of Black Students and English Language Learners.

Clearly the night of the HS Math Adoption, May 2009 Greta did not understand much.
Her 12 minutes of advice begins here at 117:00. OR Just 14 minutes right here.

Here is my posting from June 2009 on NMAP and explicit instruction. You will note both OSPI and four Seattle School Board members blew it. We have a large achievement GAP in math in the SPS because leadership is completely unable to make evidence based decisions.

Now $1.2 million later and 21 months later Greta finally gets it. (see email below)
SBE's executive Director Edie Harding was opposed to McLaren et al. filing this legal appeal. I wonder if she gets it yet?

Any sign if the WA legislature will ever get it?

How about the Gov. and AG? They refuse to investigate felony Forgery by the Seattle Superintendent and CAO, will the Gov and AG ever get it?

UPDATE!! - I learned at 4:00 PM 2-15-2011, it is the job of the Seattle Police Department to investigate the forged document submitted in the $800,000 contract approval for NTN services by central office administration. The Gov's Office spoke with the AG and the SPD was wrong in saying not our job.
=========

Here is Greta's email:

From: Greta Bornemann [mailto:Greta.Bornemann@k12.wa.us]
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2011 11:24 AM
To: 'katemartin@theseattlejournal.com'
Cc: Edie Harding
Subject: RE: National Panel on Math 2008 Report and OSPI work with districts on instruction


Hi Kate (and Edie),

This is a great topic. For far too long Special Ed and ELL students were ignored in the math world. There wasn’t good evidence for how to support teachers, and quite frankly for many districts with limited funds, reading has been the focus. But much of that is changing. I believe, with all its faults, part of the reason people are paying attention is because of No Child Left Behind. We’ve always had a problem supporting teachers working with Special Ed and ELL kids, but we are beginning to shine a light on this issue.

Thankfully, we do have some new research to guide our work.

{Unfreaking-Believeable NEW RESEARCH OSPI lives in a CAVE. The NMAP was released in March 2008. Hattie's Visible Learning in December 2008. Project Follow Through started in 1967 and was the largest study in Ed History and focused on Educationally Disadvantaged Learners K-3. Now OSPI's Greta is finding New Research after pushing Pointless ineffective Reform Math like all the UW cronies}

The National Math Advisory Panel (NMAP) is one such landmark document. I have a copy of the document close to my desk and use it constantly to guide my thinking.

{When did Greta start using NMAP to guide her thinking? Yesterday? Last week? or when she wrote this letter? How has it guided her thinking?}

We point to it when districts ask what research they should be reading. In fact, we are working on a document right now, the Mathematics Improvement Systems Framework, that gives support to districts in improving math achievement. It is just in draft form now, and our workgroups are working on providing more documents for implementation of the framework. We don’t have funding for this effort, so it is done by folks on their own time. We hope to have something final out by this summer.

If you look at the document you will find that we call out the NMAP research several times. And while ELL isn’t specifically attended to in this draft, we have received feedback from districts that they would like guidance on that topic as well. So we will be adding some guidance in our next draft.

You can find a link to the framework document at: http://www.k12.wa.us/Mathematics/pubdocs/MathImprovementFramework.pdf


I hope that helps answer your questions. If you have others, don’t hesitate to email me.

Thanks.

Take care.

Greta

Greta Bornemann

Math Director - Teaching and Learning
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Email: greta.bornemann@k12.wa.us

============
============

THANKS to KATE MARTIN of the Seattle Journal for pursuing this issue long enough to finally get a response for completely irresponsible actions by OSPI and SBE. For years OSPI, SBE, and the SPS have failed to serve educationally disadvantaged learners, while mindlessly chanting "Achievement GAP" concern.

Look for the same from the FEDS, given RttT and actions by NSF/EHR and OIG NSF and US DOE's no response to discriminatory complaints about Seattle Schools.
================

From: Edie Harding
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 4:00 PM
To: Greta Bornemann
Cc: 'katemartin@theseattlejournal.com'
Subject: National Panel on Math 2008 Report and OSPI work with districts on instruction

Greta- Hello! I understand you are in Portland today thus this email. I received a call from a Seattle Parent, Kate Martin, who has some questions about how the state was working with districts on math instruction particularly in the areas of ELL and Special Ed. She cited the recommendations of the National Math Advisory Panel in 2008. She wanted to know how the state used their recommendations in working with districts. I know you are familiar with the report. Can you shed some light on what kind of math technical assistance you guys are doing on OSPI with school districts to help special ed and ELL kids and others close the achievement gap on math and whether you recommend pieces of the NMAP report? If you can respond to Kate and cc me that would be lovely! She is focused on the instruction part not standards or curriculum and understands that it is up to school districts to do instruction but wants to know if the state guides them in anyway.

Cheers, Edie


http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/report/final-report.pdf

Edie Harding

Executive Director - Washington State Board of Education.

2-15-2011 Public Hearing on HB 1609 at 1:30 PM

http://dlr.leg.wa.gov/billsummary/default.aspx?Bill=1609&year=2011

HB 1609 - DIGEST
Addresses school employee workforce reductions and assignments.

Brief Summary of Bill

#1 .. Instates a new performance based framework and procedures for reductions in force due to declines in enrollment or revenue losses.

#2 .. Provides for a school based hiring process that requires the mutual consent of both principal and teacher.

#3 .. Puts in place a displacement process governing situations in which a teacher or educational staff associate is displaced due to transfer, a drop in enrollment, phase out or reduction of a program, reductions in a building, or implementation of an accountability intervention model.
====================================

The Math Underground Analysis:

HB 1609 is a shockingly naive attempt to solve a problem. HB 1609 plans to use tools that are completely unreliable. The enactment of this Bill will enable administrators to get a far more compliant workforce but hardly an improved one. The near and long term effects will be a complete disaster.
Who would wish to teach under incoherent education leadership at nearly every level of government? Welcome to life in WA State.

======

My story: Hired by Fife SD to improve a math program at Fife HS in great need of improvement.

Created a highly effective program that greatly improved student learning (according to WASL math test data) and participation.

Fife wanted to abandon this program. I was encouraged to leave. Fife planned on implementing the OSPI WASL math modules the following year and did so.

Was there improvement? Of course not but they got someone a lot more compliant with OSPI math nonsense than me.

Here are the Scores for 5 years.... the 2 years before, my year, and the 2 years* after.

Educational decision making in WA State is an absolute fiasco. Look for the Feds to do even worse.

WASL all student pass rates grade 10 MATH Fife high school:

10th Grade Math Fife High School
Year .:. School .:. District .:. State :: diff from State
2001 .:. 41.70% .:. 40.30% : 38.90% :: +2.8
2002 .:. 45.10% .:. 44.50% : 37.30% :: +7.8
2003 .:. 54.70% .:. 53.20% :39.40% :: +15.3
2004* .:. 44.60% .:. 44.60% : 43.90% :: +0.7
2005* .:. 47.90% .:. 47.70% :47.50% :: +0.4

Students scoring at level 1 far below standard by percent + no scores.

10th Grade Math Fife High School
Year .:. School .:. State
2001 .:. 40.30% .:. 40.60%
2002 .:. 29.30% .:. 40.10%
2003 .:. 24.80% .:. 39.20%
2004* .:. 32.50% .:. 36.90%
2005* .:. 32.00% .:. 33.50%

Students scoring at level 4 above standard by percent.

10th Grade Math Fife High School
Year .:. School .:. State :: compare FHS results
2001 .:. 14.60% .:. 19.00% :: -4.4
2002 .:. 17.40% .:. 15.60% :: +1.8
2003 .:. 25.50% .:. 18.80% :: +6.7
2004* .:. 21.30% .:. 21.90% :: -0.6
2005* .:. 17.00% .:. 18.00% :: -1.0

* years OSPI Math modules used at Fife.

To improve a system requires the intelligent application of relevant data.

There are no short cuts via fairy-tales. It does not matter who tells the tales.

Without a significant improvement in instructional materials and practices (via Hattie's effect sizes in Visible Learning and using Project Follow Through results) ... look for hundreds of Millions of dollars to be misspent in WA state and Billions nationally.

Common Core Standards approach and Race to the Top are not based on an intelligent analysis of relevant data ==> They will not produce improvement.

===================

According to the Seattle Schools website, where they describe their strategic plan, "Excellence for All:" "Excellence for All is focused on what matters most: every student achieving, everyone accountable." Say what?

Checking the remediation data ... it seems they have a ways to go.

Fall 2009: Recent high school graduates enrolled in remedial pre-college courses..

North Seattle CC
English 51%
Math .... 66%

Central Seattle CC
English 31%
Math …. 69%

South Seattle CC
English 72%
Math …. 83%

Every student achieving, everyone accountable...... Sure thing spinners of baloney. How does forgery by likely the Seattle Schools Superintendent and the CAO enter this mix?

An unmonitored damaging whole school 3-year instructional experiment on a 50% Black student population How long does it take to investigate?

"Shades of Tuskegee 1932" in Seattle:

Cleveland High School ==>
50% Black students and 70% low income students.

The results of a three year unmonitored math experiment done by UW, produced such low math scores Cleveland became one of 47 failing schools in the state.

The Seattle Schools adopted a similar set of HS math instructional materials in May 2009. These produced Black student Math pass rates of 12.5% for Black students on the 2010 math HSPE. The 10th grade White minus Black math achievement Gap in Seattle is 55.6%.

Porter, Mass, and McLaren appealed the "Discovering Math" adoption in Superior Court. SBE executive director, Edie Harding, faulted McLaren for bringing legal action instead of working to get better school directors in Seattle.

The adoption was ruled "Arbitrary and Capricious" on Feb. 4, 2010. The SPS appealed and changed nothing about its damaging approach to mathematics. Appellate Court hearing coming March 8, 2011.

Meanwhile the SBE no longer has its math advisory panel meet. An all volunteer panel is too expensive in budget restricted times. Yet there is $183 million that OSPI and the SBE believe should be spent to adopt the Common Core Standards.

Check these remediation rates from Seattle's three community colleges in Fall 2009.


Recent high school graduates enrolled in remedial pre-college courses..

North Seattle CC
English 51%
Math ....  66%

Central Seattle CC
English  31%
Math …. 69%

South Seattle CC
English  72%
Math …. 83%

NOTE:  In 2010 after the $1.2 million adoption of "Discovering" the Black student Pass rate for Grade 10 Seattle Students on the MATH HSPE dropped to 12.5%. What will the District do win or lose in Appeals Court after the March 8, 2011 hearing?

For The Common Core State Standards Initiative, WA is planning on spending $183 million to kick the can further down the road. The first CCSS assessment will be Spring 2015. OSPI, the SBE, and the Seattle Schools administration have done nothing to improve education for struggling students but they have increased the number of struggling students.

SBE Executive Director Harding is incredibly naive if she thinks new SPS School Directors can be elected to solve this problem. The SBE and OSPI are a major part of the problem. Note the four SPS Directors elected in 2007 spent almost $500,000 to win four unpaid positions. There are no campaign limits on contributions to School Directors.
===============

My last contact from the NSF investigator was July 2010.

My letter:

2-14-2011

To: The Office of the Inspector General of the National Science Foundation

Dear Dr. Scott Moore,

How long does an investigation take?

This is a fairly straight forward matter.

Lots of spending and no positive results.

This is often the case with Math Ed efforts from the UW. In fact negative outcomes are fairly common.

Note the following:

http://mathunderground.blogspot.com/2010/09/uw-professional-development-gone-bad.html

Thank You,

Danaher M. Dempsey, Jr.

========================

The result of this "Failing School" was turning Cleveland into an Option School using one of the "Race to the Top" "Turn-Around Models" and selecting the New Technology Network as a turn-around adviser for $800,000.

The Seattle Schools administration committed a class C felony of forgery, in construction of the action report used to facilitate the NTN selection. Note: NTN has an absolutely pathetic math model. The results from a multiplicity of NTN schools confirm this but the SPS Directors Sundquist, Carr, Maier, and Martin-Morris ignore those ongoing repeated failures.

The Governor, Seattle Police, King County Prosecutor, and the Governor's office have absolutely no interest in investigating this forgery crime. Certainly the Seattle School Directors have no interest.

What state constitution?

What State Laws?

There is apparently "Zero" accountability and zero enforcement. Rights and Laws are for those with money to go to court; free and reduced lunch students need not apply.

The Tuskegee syphilis experiment began in 1932. Seattle's version is still continuing in the 37th District on students.

Take a bow: UW, Seattle School Board, Rep. Santos, Gov. Gregoire, Attorney General McKenna, King County Prosecutor's office and Seattle police. These folks certainly deserve some credit.

Honorable mention goes to the US Department of Education and the Office of the Inspector General of the NSF for their assistance in continuing this disaster unchecked. Complaints have been filed and they go nowhere. Anyone who thinks Federal Involvement through Race to the Top or the Common Core Standards will be helpful is removed from reality.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_syphilis_experiment

This is absurd that "Disruptive Innovation" will improve education. To improve a system requires the intelligent application of relevant data. Apparently doing what has repeatedly been shown to work should not be done in WA State or the USA.

"Where's the Math?" Opposes Common Core Standards

http://www.wheresthemath.com/Pages/Where%27s%20The%20Math.aspx

Check the "Where's the Math?" website above.

So "Where's the Money?"

Next Wave of Education Lunacy is proposed by Oregon Gov. .... and ... It looks a lot like Gov. Gregoire's plan

http://blog.oregonlive.com/politics_impact/print.html?entry=/2011/02/gov_john_kitzhaber_plans_to_cr.html

Naturally it is all about control and based on more fairy-tale assumptions.

The intelligent application of relevant data to improve a system remains untried and unexamined.

Also Apparently unwanted by those in power.

My Letter to the Governor: so ....Who needs to be recalled? for failure to investigate.

Dear Ms. Younglove,

Here is my letter to the Governor.

==========

Dear Gov, 4:45 PM 2-14-2011

Ms. Melody Younglove, your Constituent Services Manager has been provided extensive proof of a class C Felony, Forgery, committed in the Seattle Public Schools, which is neither being investigated nor prosecuted. See has been given information on three separate occasions. The first two times she failed to contact me. Only on a third face to face visit did I have contact with her. It appears that she has no intention of following up on a felony committed by one or more Seattle School Administrators.

Do I need to file a recall action for the recall and discharge of a public official?

Should I begin recall action with the King County Prosecutor, the Attorney General, or the Governor?

Or recall action against all three?

Please advise.

Thanks,

Danaher M. Dempsey, Jr.

My letter to Susanna Williams, chair of 37th Dems

Dear Chairperson, 2-14-2011

I understand there is a meeting at 7:30 this evening at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center (3515 S Alaska St) in Columbia City.
(Social time begins at 7:00)

Please request Rep. Santos to have a hearing on HB 1891 to delay Washington's adoption of the Common Core Standards.

Four 4 years I and many others have worked diligently to attempt to improve education in the Seattle Schools and particularly the schools in the 37th.

I have zero to show for results.

The best thing about NCLB was that OSPI testing gives us results for each school by demographic category. That was about the only good thing that has happened for education in the 37th for the last 14 years under OSPI and Bush's NCLB.

I thought with a President, US Congress, Governor, and State House all under democratic party control for the majority of 2008-2011 things would be better. Unfortunately, the situation has not improved over the last two years and now the future for WA State Education is looking substantially worse.

Washington State's adoption of the Common Core State Standards promises to be more expensive kicking of the can down the road for many additional years.

The Four RttT "Turn around models" are incredibly poorly designed.

The Seattle Schools and the State regularly violate the State constitution.

Check out the two attached pieces of data. Why was this allowed to happen?

Why is Rep. Santos in favor of spending $183,000,000 on more pointless activity?

Note: Dec. 11, 2010 The Gov. and the Legislature decided to essentially steal $208,000,000 headed to help local school districts from the Feds and put it in the general fund. Now the adoption of more misdirection will cost $183,000,000 ...... WOW how will they misuse the other $25 million left over?

In depth information on the Governor's failure to act on Seattle School District forgery is attached (Melody Younglove).

A lot of additional information can be found on my BLOG.

In closing, let me say that both the Federal Dept of Education and the Inspector General's Office of the National Science Foundation have failed to act on substantive complaints. They are just as useless as the Governor in correcting our rampant education problems in the 37th. The Idea of Federal control of State Standards and curriculum is completely absurd ... take a look at the schools in the 37th ... how can that spending be a solution?

Thanks,

Dan Dempsey

Attached were these four:

37th District Schools in Seattle result from the SPS Scorecard.
http://www.box.net/shared/qots8cjhgk

Melody Younglove of Gov's Office apparently is opposed to enforcement of felony laws.
http://www.box.net/shared/p1flo9i49o

Overview of Seattle Community Colleges remediation Data for Fall 2009
http://www.box.net/shared/ts9pnvltaq

Remediation rates for several years.
http://www.box.net/shared/69rk11569d

===============

We are finishing the fifth week of the session, and heading into the year’s first legislative milestone – policy committee cut-off. After February 17, no further House bills can be voted out of policy committees this session. I’ve learned that there are many points in the legislative process where bills can die but no place that a bill can board an express train to passage. This committee cut-off is the first hurdle that will eliminate many bills from further consideration. The normally frenetic pace here will get even more hectic as this deadline approaches!

Delaware is just Like WA

from Transparent Christina: Community Crossfire
http://transparentchristina.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/community-crossfire-with-norman-oliver-21311/

Governor Markell has sold Delaware out to common core standards and has bought into corporate school reform,

which has at its core completely unproven methods to fix schools.

He has given us a bunch of trumped up, poorly attended roadshows to suggest that there is widespread support for Race to the Top when in fact there is just plain ignorance on Race to the Top.

The bankers and billionaires have control of the message and Gov. Markell appears to be the messenger.

To top off a "successful" 2010 for Gov. Markell, he is now proposing a 10% slash to transportation for schools and is also recommending the elimination of funding for bus routes deemed to be "unique hazards"

The Christina School District is actively seeking to make the Partnership Zone a wild success under the leadership of Dr. Lillian Lowery, but make no mistake about this: the Governor's support for failing ideas to fix failing schools will make this work very very hard in my opinion.

There is no doubt about it from where I sit: Governor Markell is bad for education in Delaware.

============

From where The Math Underground sits: Governor Gregoire is bad for education in Washington State.

February 17th is "D" day Decision or Destruction?

If the Legislature does not schedule a hearing on a Bill "Delaying the Common Core Standards" on or before February 17, Randy Dorn will certainly spend $183,000,000 on the CCSS without anyone even taking a formal vote this legislative session.

It appears once again the fix is in.

It seems that Rep. Santos, the Seattle School Board, the Governor, or the legislature care much or do much about the ongoing failure to serve a huge number of students in the 37th district, ironically represented by Rep. Santos.

CCSSI likely putting Cart in Front of Horse Another Fiasco

In response to this Article:

Education Week
Curriculum Matters
Can the Federal Government Fund Curriculum Materials?

Richard Innes of the Bluegrass Policy Institute writes:

This is a potentially huge deal.

How do you create tests if you don't have a good idea about the underlying curriculum?

Kentucky fell into precisely this same trap in 1990 when it started to create the state's first reform assessment, the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS).

KIRIS was created before the state even had decent education standards (which, for that matter, it still doesn't have), let alone a well-designed curriculum. Then, the state developed curriculum frameworks (just like the test consortia are proposing) that were supposed to improve KIRIS as well as instruction.

That didn't happen, either, and KIRIS crashed in 1998.

It's replacement, CATS, didn't make enough changes from KIRIS. It crashed in 2009.

If you are going to develop good state tests, you first have to start with very complete statements about what kids are supposed to know and be able to do at the end of the instruction. Those statements have to be set up in such a way that the goals and outcomes are measurable.

THEN, you design a curriculum to teach to those goals.

ONLY THEN, do you start to develop an assessment program.

Now, we are told that the two Common Core State Assessment efforts may, by law, have to leave out the essential curriculum step.

That's going to be really problematic.

To learn more about what happened with KIRIS, so you can better discuss why the Common Core State Assessments may be heading into serious trouble, trouble Kentucky already faced before, check out the reports on the Kentucky Education Reform Act at 20 Years, available here:

http://www.freedomkentucky.org/index.php?title=KERA_Portal

SPS Class C felony Forgery update

A letter to the Governor's Office: 2-12-2011

Dear Ms. Melody Younglove,

I believe the misunderstanding that you refer to is your misunderstanding not mine. I want class C felony forgery investigated and prosecuted. Do you?

Complete communication as a .pdf is HERE.

Common Core Standards: an early entry into expensive chaos should be avoided

About the Common Core State Standards Initiative:
CCSSI is More of the Same: Spending Goes Up and Results will be Mediocre at Best.

Despite claims of data driven decision-making, there has been very little of such decision-making. To improve a system requires the intelligent application of relevant data. Effective and efficient system improvement is drastically needed but is nowhere in sight. Three sources of information of vital importance are continually neglected in WA State and most of the our nation.

#1. Project Follow Through results, which show exactly which of 9 methods of instruction is the most effective in meeting the needs of educationally disadvantaged learners in grades k-3. PFT was the largest most exhaustive educational research project in history. PFT began in 1967 as part of the efforts of LBJ's administration to serve disadvantaged learners. (Civil Rights Act passed in 1964) Most educational decision-makers have no idea of either the magnitude of this project or its results.
PFT info: here 1, : here 2, : here 3.

#2. Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement by John Hattie (December 2008). Dr. Hattie examines a large number of educational practices and not only described them but calculates effect size for each based on results from millions of students world-wide. Hattie’s table of effect sizes is extremely easy to use. Hattie’s analyses confirm that educational decision-making is not based on the intelligent application of relevant data.

#3. Foundations for Success, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel’s final report (2008). Specifically states that (page xxiii, paragraph 27) struggling students need increased explicit instruction.

OSPI, the Seattle School Board, and many other educational decision makers have missed all of the above. Additionally these decision-makers have also missed the preamble to article IX of the state constitution and additionally the Seattle Schools have ignored a variety of state laws.

Washington State’s involvement and spending of $183 million to join the Common Core State Standards Initiative will be more of the same. At a time when known proven educational practices and instructional materials need to be used, Race to the Top encourages disruptive innovation. CCSSI will likely do the same.

In the last hundred years, medicine made enormous strides by making decisions based on evidence. Education remains in turmoil and evidence based decision-making has yet to occur.

One only needs to look at:

A. the four RttT “Turn Around Models” together with results from

B. the last decade plus at OSPI,

C. 20 years of Math advice from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics leadership,

D. NSF funded development of math instructional materials (= approx. $100 million),

E. NSF spending to try to make those materials actually work ( > $100 million) and

F. the results of NSF funded UW math programs for Southeast Seattle schools.

to see a continuation of further expensive chaos with no accountability for past and continuing poor decision-making.

Why should the parents in 37th district, represented by Reps. Santos and Pettigrew, be asked to wait even longer for something positive and significant to actually happen?

See video clip of Yolanda Gill Masundire, speaking at Town Hall meeting =>(here) and data from Schools in the 37th District (here) as well as Seattle Community College remediation percentages (here 1) (here 2) for recent high school graduates.

Dr. Joseph Willhoft, the man primarily responsible for the incredibly expensive and ineffective WASL testing, will be heading the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium to construct Common Core assessments. First one is due in Spring 2015.

The State Board of Education’s Math Advisory Panel composed of volunteers no longer meets because of lack of available funds. $208 million Federal dollars headed to assist local school districts was taken via a one-day special session on December 11, 2010 and placed in the General Fund. Yet $183 million may be spent on an early entry into chaos instead of waiting and improving WA schools now, through data based decision-making for the first time.

HB 1891 needs to get out of Committee and have a hearing so that Washington’s adoption of the Common Core State Standards Initiative can be delayed or perhaps eventually cancelled. Currently representative Santos, who has among the worst performing schools in the state in her district, heads the committee that is failing to grant a hearing on HB 1891.

$183,000,000 for an early entry into more chaos. Administrators are always in favor of more spending on administration. Note: Feb 4, 2010 The State was found in violation of the Constitution for failing to adequately fund education of students, which is the Paramount Duty of the State. The state appealed this decision. It seems that now the state legislators, Governor, and leaders of OSPI, SBE, PTSA, WEA, League of Education Voters are all in favor of more spending on administrative chaos at the expense of Washington's k-12 students.

==============
Please see Democracy Denied (so far) HERE
for what you can do about this deplorable situation.

=============
See "Where's the Money" at The Underground Parent.

============
Link to Myth Busters Letter Exposing 11 Education Myths as complete nonsense.

LINK to SEATTLE SCHOOLS discussion on 2/10/2011 Town Hall Meeting with C.R. Douglas on the Seattle Channel

90 minutes led by CR Douglas

http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=3381101

Where is the Money for CCSS? and what about the students?

Where is the Money for CCSS?

#1 On Dec 11, 2010 ==> WA Gov. et al. take $208 million, headed to local school districts and intended to assist districts in meeting the needs of students in this economic downturn, and places it in the general fund.

#2 The CCSS will cost $185 million and according to OSPI 91% of that will be born by local districts.

#3 On February 4, 2010 the Court found WA State failing to fulfill the Constitution article IX and not adequately funding schools. The State appealed.

#4 Unless HB 1891 passes the State will be underfunding each local district’s primary work of educating students even further, as OSPI estimates $160+ million of the needed $185 million will come out of District funds.

#5 To adopt the CCSS at this time is an assault on WA students. HB 1891 is urgently needed.

Tribune's Callaghan is WRONG about CCSS

Rarely do I take this amount of space to respond to an article. Peter Callaghan is so far off on his 2-10-2011 article, I must respond in full.

#1.. The Title is incorrect. If the title is incorrect, it certainly confirms either an author's ignorance or perhaps agenda.

#2.. Here is the hyper-link to:
Common K-12 standards are rigorous, used in many states

PETER CALLAGHAN; STAFF WRITER
Published: 02/10/1112:05 am


#3.. Here is my complete take on this: my responses are in navy the rest is from the Callaghan column.

Common K-12 standards are rigorous, used in many states

When doing nothing produces the same result as doing something, most of us would opt to do nothing.

addition: I would prefer to respond by doing something thoughtful based on the intelligent application of relevant data, rather than believe that more "ed reform packages" will be a solution.

That may be the path state lawmakers take when it comes to Common Core Standards in language arts and math.

Developed not by the federal government but by a consortium of governors and school superintendents, they would replace the state-by-state standards of what kids should learn in each grade of school.

correction: Developed by a panel secretly selected and initiated in private and funded by the Gates Foundation. This proposal eventually came into public view.

By using common standards we can finally have accurate comparisons of state education, no longer letting some states look good in testing by having lower standards.

Addition: Washington State can be part of uniformly dumbing-down our students further.

It will also make it easier for students to move among school districts and among states because what is taught in third grade in Takoma Park, Md., will be pretty similar to what is taught in Tacoma, Wash.


Addition: Only if what is taught is in Tacoma, WA is actually learned. ==> The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics 1989 Standards, coupled with over $200 million from the NSF, and direction from the last 14 years at OSPI have produced absolute math instruction chaos. It is absurd to believe that after taking $208 million headed to local school districts on December 11, 2010 in a one-day special session to help students, that requiring Districts to pay for 91% of the OSPI estimated $185 million needed to adopt the CCSS, will increase learning.


And rather than have 50 different sets of curriculum and textbooks and 50 different tests, states could band together and develop them together, saving money in the long run.


Addition: Not necessarily so. Another likely highly inefficient process led by an amalgamation of diverse interests will not necessarily produce either a great product or do so in an economical fashion.

Consider Seattle’s Schmitz Park elementary, which decided to use Singapore Math, instead of the Seattle Selected “Everyday Math” which was highly WASL aligned when selected in May 2007. Singapore Math eventually earned the distinction of, according to OSPI, being the least aligned k-5 series to the new 2008 math standards.

When the 2008 Math Standards were tested for the first time in Spring 2008, Schmitz Park grade 5 scored #3 in the state out of more than 1000 elementary schools. Quite nice for using a Math text series far cheaper than "Everyday Math" and rated by OSPI as the most misaligned to the WA Math standards tested.

The 2008 Math standards were tested for the first time in Spring 2010 with the MSP. Seattle’s Schmitz Park 5th grade scored at #3 in the state out of more than 1000 elementary schools. Quite a performance using the least aligned to the test materials according to OSPI.

Last year’s school reform bill allowed state schools chief Randy Dorn to make Common Core Standards Washington’s standards. But because lawmakers had seen only drafts, they asked that Dorn bring back the final product this session for a look-see.


Addition: OSPI was legislated by 6696 to give the legislature a document by January 1, 2011, which among other things detailed adoption costs. That information was submitted by OSPI on February 1, 2011 only three days before the hearing on HB 1443.


If lawmakers do nothing, the standards will begin to replace Washington’s current math and language arts learning requirements. Forty-one states have already adopted them.


Addition: Contrary to the title of this article, not a single state is using them. Note: the first assessment of the CCSS is due four years from now in the 2014-2015 school year.

Some lawmakers decided to do something instead by having the Legislature take a vote to adopt – readopt actually – the standards. House Bill 1443 also would endorse the latest recommendations of the Quality Education Council, created to implement recent education reform legislation.

While endorsed by most in the education community – reform advocates, teachers, principals, school boards – the bill has been targeted by those leery of any education standards not written locally. The math standards also are opposed by those grouped under the organization Where’s The Math.

The local-control argument is puzzling since the state hasn’t done a very good job with its own standards. Our language arts learning requirements have barely gotten passing grades by various analyses while Common Core got a B-plus.

And our math standards were so weak that state education leaders realized they needed to be replaced.

I’m not sure what’s magical about locally drafted standards. The question should be whether they are as good or better than what we have, not where they were written.


Addition: It is absurd to believe that changing standards will do anything to speak of unless instructional materials and practices that are efficient and effective are put into use. Spending $185 million on CCSS standards, instead of providing the resources needed to educate students in the classroom is absurd. On February 4, 2010 the state was found to be in violation of the State constitution for failing to fully fund k-12 education. The State appealed. It appears the state has no intention of adequately funding what happens in the classroom. Administrators seem always in favor of paying more administration.


The math issue is a bit more complex. Partly because of pressure from Where’s The Math, Washington has just completed improved standards at considerable time and cost. Those would now be replaced.

That has math advocates unhappy, not just because they think a lot of hard work will be wasted but because they think Common Core isn’t as rigorous as the new state standards.

They even cite a comparison that gives our new state standards a higher grade. The Fordham Institute – a think tank that supports tougher education standards – gave Washington’s new math standards an A and Common Core an A-minus.

The difference in grade isn’t based on rigor but on a conclusion that the Common Core Standards are written in mathese while the state’s are in plain English.

The differences are hardly enough to keep Washington from adopting Common Core and gaining the many benefits that come from being in line with nearly every other state.


Addition: There are a tremendous number of liabilities that may well out weigh the supposed benefits.


“With some minor differences, Common Core and Washington State both cover the essential content for a rigorous, K-12 mathematics program,” Fordham concludes.

Dorn suggests clarifying the narrative in Common Core so it is easier to understand. And Washington can exceed the Common Core math standards if it chooses.

Where’s the Math deserves credit for getting the state to a choice between two rigorous standards. It should take that credit, declare victory and get out of the way.

But it may not matter. Legislative leaders are considering taking the Common Core sections out of HB 1443 and letting the standards take effect when the Legislature adjourns in late April.


conclusion: The legislature needs to pass HB 1891, which would delay the adoption of CCSS for at least two years. Where is the funding to educate the students? It seems to increasingly be going to administration. What happens if the “NEWS” school funding lawsuit is upheld in Appeals Court?

HB 1443 may pass out of Committee on 2-10-2011 UGH!!

HB 1443, which is likely pass out of committee tomorrow (2-10-2011), is a complete disaster.


HB 1443 will spend $187,000,000 (as in $187 million) on implementing the Common Core State Standards in WA State.

Recently the State took $208 million headed for Local School Districts and dumped it into the General Fund.

HB 1891 was written in response to this insanity and who knows if it will get out of committee.

The Bureaucrats love paying for more bureaucracy ... even if taking money from schools is required to fund it.

--------- What will the Ed Committee in the House of Representatives DO?

=============
If past patterns continue, look for more tests and requirements for struggling students .... paid for with the money that should be assisting those students
-- (This is insanity cubed)

HB 1443 is essentially an administrators jobs stimulus act.

"To Improve a system requires the intelligent application of relevant data." Olympia has spent decades failing to apply the relevant data intelligently but has inflated the size of OSPI .... look for that to continue.

If you don't like it call 1-800-562-6000 and register your support for HB 1891 and opposition to HB 1443.

================
UPDATE ... I believe that the CCSS language has been deleted from HB 1443. Note: The CCSS are automatically approved and adopted if the legislature does not act to STOP the adoption.

HB 1891 is needed.

HB 1891 needs your help.... NOW

HB 1891 is sponsored by Klippert, Angel, Hargrove, Rivers, Orcutt, and McCune.

It will delay the CCSS for at least 2 years. OSPI had a report due to the legislature by Jan 1, 2011 that report was finally available one month late on Feb 1, 2011.

OSPI calculates the cost of adopting CCSS at $187 million.

The Gov. in December took $208 million headed to local WA school districts from the Feds, which was to help reduce teacher layoffs and recessionary impacts on local districts, and placed the $208 million in the General Fund.

Now under HB 1443, the Gov. wants $187 million spent on CCSS.

HB 1443 is completely absurd. The Gov. SBE and OSPI have done little if anything to enable struggling students to meet higher standards. HB 1443 is a push for more spending on administration and less for classrooms.

Call 1-800-562-6000 and voice support for HB 1891 and opposition to HB 1443.



======

Slightly Off-task comment:

In Spokane we seen educational employees disrupting a meeting called to educate citizens about Mathematics Education in Spokane.
See BETRAYED BLOG HERE.

With increased Federal Control via CCSS, the chance of parents having any control of education will be even less. Please call about your support for HB 1891 and urge its passage through the House Education Committee.

1-800-562-6000

Felony Forgery and the Gov's Office: Now What?

To:
Ms. Melody Younglove
Constituent's Services Manager
Governor's Office
State of Washington

Dear Ms. Melody Younglove,

I am deeply disappointed and offended by the actions of the Governor's Office and your actions in particular.

Details of my three visits to the Office of the Governor are detailed in the attached report "Catch 22 for Seattle Schools".

Summary of my three visits to the Governor's Office:

#1. I contacted Lindsay with information and heard nothing.

#2. I contacted Lindsay again. She assured me that she had given information to you. I gave her additional proof of Felony Forgery and asked her to contact me when she had given the information to you. Additionally I asked her to have you contact me.

#3. Again despite my requests in number 2, I received absolutely no contact from you or anyone in the Governor's office.

#4. Yesterday, Monday Feb. 7, 2011 I met with you. You seemed quite familiar with my math advocacy and had been in contact with the AG's office, but never in contact with me.

#5. You told me that the investigation of alleged felony forgery in Seattle was currently beyond the scope of both the Governor and the Attorney General and advised me to contact the King County Prosecutor's office. I find it more than peculiar that you never contacted me with this information. Why did I need to contact the Governor's office a third time to hear this?

#6. As I outlined for you, there will be no referral from the King County Prosecutor because they only act on police complaints. There will be no complaint from the Seattle Police because they believe this action should be covered by the Attorney General.

#7. I find you and Governor's Office and likely the Governor and Attorney General irresponsible in fulfilling the statutory responsibility to uphold the laws of the state and the state constitution.

#8. Your move. Now what?

Sincerely,

Danaher M. Dempsey, Jr.

My Busy Opposition to CCSSI and Felony Forgery in the Seattle Public Schools

I testified at a Senate Ways and Means committee hearing and at the House Education Committee's HB 1443 hearing.

I strongly oppose HB 1443 as it continues neglect of struggling students and appears to be a jobs stimulus bill for OSPI administrators.

Representative Brad Klippert now has HB 1891 in the hopper. Hooray, it will postpone the CCSSI Common Core State Standards Initiative for at least two years, if not forever.

A quick recap of the Governor Christine Gregoire's leadership on Education:

A... Gov. Chris G. appealed the court finding that the State does not fulfill its obligation to amply fund and provide an education to all Washington residents, as detailed in Article IX of the State's Constitution.

B... In December Gov. Chris G. called a special one day legislative session and diverted $208 million in Federal dollars headed to Washington School District's into the General fund. That money was to be used to allow districts to prevent the lay offs of teachers. Rep. Pat Sullivan was quoted as saying in regard to the diversion of funds: "We think its legal."

C... The Gov. has supported the CCSSI, which will require at least $187 million to implement.

D... The Governor's office knows all about alleged felony forgery committed by Seattle Schools Superintendent and or the Chief Academic Officer and has chosen to do nothing.

Here is the Scoop on the Gov's refusal to act on felony forgery:
http://www.box.net/shared/jjk7mgpizl


Here is my Myth Busters letter .... Busting 11 myths:
http://www.box.net/shared/0g1d1kka49


Enjoy.

Then call the legislative hotline in support of HB 1891
and in opposition to HB 1443.

The number is
1-800-562-6000

===================

Thoughts from Mark ....

In regard to only MATH: OSPI says implementing CCSS will cost almost $100 million.
This lowers the bar for math education.


On Saturday, I heard Governor Gregoire on the radio wailing about her “immoral” budget and lamenting the “draconian” cuts. After pulling myself together, I thought to myself “Gosh, how else could we spend the $100 million slated for CCSS math?”
(note with Language Arts make that $187 million).


So I went through Governor Gregoire’s budget proposal http://www.ofm.wa.gov/budget11/highlights/highlights.pdf and saw all the proposed cuts and the associated dollar savings.

The only conclusion I can reach is that a vote for CCSS is a vote against women, children, immigrants, a clean environment, ..... , and safe streets. Yikes...what kind of monster would want that?


So let’s ask our legislators the following questions:

1. Would it be better to lower math education standards or to decrease class size by 3%?

2. Would it be better to lower math education standards or kick thousands of kindergarten students out of class?

3. Would it be better to lower math education standards or suspend bonuses for outstanding teachers?

4. Would it be better to lower math educations standards or eliminate the Children’s Health Program which provides medical coverage for 27,000 children whose citizenship has not been documented?

5. Would it be better to lower math education standards or reduce in-home Medicaid personal care hours to 45,000 individuals?

6. Would it be better to lower math education standards or eliminate supervision of 293 sexually violent predators civilly committed at the Special Commitment Center at McNeil Island?

7. Would it be better to lower math education standards or eliminate funding for oil spill prevention and preparedness?

8. Would it be better to lower math education standards or turn 454 criminals from Walla Walla loose on the public?

=============

Note that OSPI
does not have it together.

FINAL BILL REPORT E2SSB 6696 states

Common Core Standards. The SPI is authorized to adopt a common set of standards based on those developed by a multi-state consortium on a provisional basis by August 2, 2010, but must not implement the standards until the legislative Education committees have an opportunity for review. By January 1, 2011, the SPI must submit a detailed comparison of the provisional standards and the state standards, as well as an estimated timeline and costs to implement the provisional standards.

This report was one month late and only available three days before the Friday February 4 hearing on HB 1443.

The Governor thinks giving this crew $187 million is a great idea. I do not; how about you?

Call 1-800-562-6000 in opposition to HB 1443.

==========
Honor roll of legislators who I know have a clue, as they support HB 1891.

Rep. Brad Klippert
Rep. Mark Hargrove

Perhaps I may hear from more. Be sure and call your legislators.